724.3415/3965: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina ( Weddell ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:28 p.m.]
107. Referring to Department’s telegram No. 70, July 26, 9 p.m. On July 26 and before receipt of the Department’s telegraphic instructions referred to I had called on the Foreign Minister at his request when he handed me a copy of the note from the Bolivian Minister in this city with the request that I transmit it to you. At this time the Minister showed me a telegram dated July 25 from his Minister in Santiago stating that the Chilean Minister for Foreign Affairs was deeply interested in his peace efforts and that he could count on the cooperation of Chile whose policy was one of accord with Argentina in securing peace. He told me that he had also been advised in a similar sense by the Peruvian Ambassador here. The Foreign Minister again emphasized the necessity for extreme secrecy toward Chile and Peru as to the existence of a definite formula, reiterating that he had told them that his efforts were in the nature of exploratory conversations and that for this reason he had not asked them to take any steps at La Paz lest the fact that there was a formula be developed. The Minister further told me that he was not advising Ambassador Espil of Bolivia’s reply.
Promptly on receipt of the Department’s telegram No. 70 I arranged an interview with the Minister for Foreign Affairs calling on him this morning and went over with him the points contained in the Department’s telegram. Referring to the fourth paragraph he said that he was doubtful if we should give much weight to the favorable [Page 161] interpretation of the Bolivian reply given by the Bolivian Minister in Washington.
He is in general accord with the idea of the collaboration of the other countries named in presenting and supporting his formula but was reluctant to say what steps he would take to start this machinery. I rather pushed him on this and he finally said that he would “explore the matter with Paraguay” but before doing this it was highly desirable to arouse Brazil to greater activity. I inquired if he anticipated any change in Brazil’s attitude under the new Foreign Minister.13 He replied in the negative; that this official was a well poised pacific man, and had represented Brazil in the Disarmament Conference.14 He said precaution with Brazil is necessary because that Government does not wish to act strongly until there is definite acceptance of the formula by the two Governments. I reiterated the desire of my Government to support his efforts at Asunción when he thought the moment propitious. With regard to the additional request of Bolivia, paragraph 6 of the Department’s telegram under reference, he said that he thought of expressing his great surprise thereat to the Bolivian representative since it was something that could be discussed in conciliation conversations and that the fact that this was confidentially advanced as a sine qua non indicated that Bolivia would be afraid to have brought out publicly that it had laid down such a condition. He added that if the zone were insisted upon he would end the whole matter.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Minister showed me a telegram from his representative at Geneva reporting that he had informed the League of Nations of the exploratory conversations and quoting their expressions of satisfaction thereat. He added that when the League reassembled in September the Argentine position before it would be entirely regularized.
The Minister referred to shipments of arms from the United States and said he was uncertain of the repercussion in Paraguay but that he hoped for one not unduly unfavorable. Following this he said: “Your country must push Bolivia since you have the means to do it.” To this I made no reply.
At the beginning, during, and at the conclusion of our conversation, the Minister counseled extreme patience and great deliberation, insisting that in the whole matter we must go slowly since this was a last effort and we must avoid defeat, that we must have Brazil strongly supporting the effort, and that there must be perfect accord with that Government.…
[Page 162]The Minister asked me for a résumé of the Department’s message and I replied that I was not authorized to do so. He did not press the matter further. I request your instructions on this point.
- José Carlos de Macedo Soares replaced Felix de Barros Cavalcanti de Lacerda on July 26, 1934, as Foreign Minister.↩
- For correspondence concerning the Disarmament Conference of 1932, see Foreign Relations, 1932, vol. i, pp. 1 ff.↩